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Catalinas Island, North

Catalinas North, located 11km from Flamingo on the East coast of Costa Rica, is the perfect dive site for beginner divers. This site provides a sheltered environment away from strong currents, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.

Although Catalinas North is more renowned for its tranquility rather than its diverse marine life, divers can still encounter a variety of reef fish. With a little luck, sightings of rays and sharks are also possible.

The site is protected from currents throughout most of the year, as the main currents originate from the open sea. This feature makes Catalinas North ideal for Discover Scuba Diving and SSI certification courses, allowing divers to focus on improving safety techniques and compass navigation skills.

The sandy bottom dominates the area, with the exception of rocky formations around the island. Explorations of Catalinas North may also reveal fascinating creatures such as octopuses, seahorses, moray eels, and various species of starfish.

The dive depth close to the island ranges from 4 to 12 meters, creating an accessible environment for beginner divers. However, it is important to note that venturing further away can lead to depths exceeding 30 meters.

With a visibility of approximately 12 meters and a maximum depth of 18 meters, Catalinas North offers an ideal setting for beginners to immerse themselves in the underwater wonders of Costa Rica's Provincia Guanacaste.

Diving Conditions Score for Catalinas Island, North

8
Very Good

Very good diving conditions!
The score is based on a calculation of the current weather and sea conditions.

Dive Site Overview for Catalinas Island, North

Depth

18m

Visibility

12m

Experience Level

beginner

Weather Conditions for Catalinas Island, North

Wave Height

1.04m

Wind Speed

5.3 m/s

Water Temp

30°C

Visibility

31.4km

Cloud Cover

70%

Wave Period

12.95s

Air Temperature

27.9°C

Precipitation

0.1 mm

Detailed 7-Day Diving Forecast for Catalinas Island, North
Alpha

Dive Score Chart for Catalinas Island, North

Best time to dive: 12:00 with score 8.7116/10. Water conditions: Waves 1.04m, Wind 4 m/s.Best night dive time: 4:00 with score 7.766869230769231/10.

Chart showing hourly dive conditions including wave height, wind speed, water temperature, and visibility throughout the day.

Sunrise at Catalinas Island, North: 06:00
Sunset at Catalinas Island, North: 18:00

Optimal diving conditions at Catalinas Island, North are affected by daylight hours. Sunrise occurs at 06:00 and sunset at 18:00, which impacts visibility and water temperature for scuba diving and snorkeling.

🌞
Best Overall
12:00

Score: 8.7/10
Waves: 1.04m (13s), Wind: 4 m/s

🌙
Best Night
4:00

Score: 7.8/10
Waves: 0.98m, Wind: 9.4 m/s

Seasonal Analysis for Catalinas Island, North
Alpha

Historical patterns and best seasons for diving at Catalinas Island, North

The dive score combines all factors to rate overall diving conditions throughout the year. Higher scores indicate better diving conditions.

Monthly Dive Score Analysis - Seasonal Diving Conditions

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Seasonal DiveScore Chart

This chart displays monthly diveScore data throughout the year, showing seasonal patterns. The data is presented as a bar chart with an overlaid line graph.Dive scores range from 1 to 10, with 10 being optimal conditions.

Higher values indicate better diving conditions

Best Season for Catalinas Island, North

Winter

Avg. Score: 9.4/10

Winter offers the best overall diving conditions with calmer seas and better visibility, despite cooler temperatures.

Best Months for Catalinas Island, North

January
Score: 9.5
December
Score: 9.4
February
Score: 9.3

Ideal Conditions for Catalinas Island, North

Water Temp

Thermometer Emoji

26.6°C / 79.9°F

April

Visibility

Telescope Emoji

11.0m / 36.1ft

December

Wave Height

Wave Emoji

1.8m / 5.9ft

November

Wave Period

Wave Emoji

8.0s

January

Seasonal Insights for Catalinas Island, North

Catalinas Island, North shows typical northern hemisphere patterns with April being the warmest month (26.6°C) and November the coldest (22.3°C). The calmest conditions typically occur in November with average wave heights of 1.8m and wave periods of 8.0s. The most comfortable wave conditions are in November with a low wave steepness ratio, creating gentler swells. January offers the longest wave periods (8.0s), creating more comfortable and predictable conditions for boat entries and exits. Ocean currents are slowest in January (0.5m/s) and strongest in January (0.5m/s). January is usually the driest month with 0.0mm of precipitation. For beginners, the best time to visit would be during November to January, when ocean conditions are calmer with long-period waves and currents are typically weaker. Experienced divers might enjoy the challenges and potentially better visibility during the shoulder seasons, with moderate currents that can improve marine life encounters.

Scoring Legend:
9-10 (Excellent)
7-8 (Good)
5-6 (Average)
3-4 (Poor)
1-2 (Dangerous)

Last updated: 1 min. ago - Jun 21, 2026

Note: This dive site is not a verified dive site. Please dive with caution. This dive site might have incorrect information by the community.

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